Britain's tallest girl measures 6ft9in - without high heels! - Daily Mirror

Jessica Pardoe

She might have to duck her head when she walks through a door.

But Britains tallest teenage girl likes towering over her friends.

Jessica Pardoe, 18, who is 6ft 9in in bare feet, said: Im really proud to be this tall. I dont mind being a bit different. And it has so many advantages.

I love going to music festivals and its great to be able to see over everyones heads.

Since going to a festival this summer, art student Jessica is becoming a celebrity herself.

Lots of people wanted me to pose for photos with them, she says. Now a Facebook tribute page set up in her honour has more than 3,500 fans.

Jessicas height runs in the family. Mum Lisa, 41, is just over 6ft and dad Andrew, 43, is 6ft 7in. Brother Niall, 17, is an inch taller than her at 6ft 10in, while stepbrothers Liam, eight, and Ethan, six, are 5ft and 4ft 8in.

Jessica weighed 8lb 10oz at birth and measured a long, but not unusual, 53cm from head to toe. But at 18 months she was much taller than other tots.

Passers-by used to give me strange looks, says Lisa. Im sure they believed she was too old to be in her pushchair.

By the age of 11 Jessica was already 5ft 8in 3in taller than the average British woman. We think she has stopped growing now shes been the same height for 18 months, says her mum.

She is perfectly healthy with a pair of stunning 38in legs, which she believes to be the longest in Britain, and size 11 feet.

I adore my long legs but they cause problems buying clothes, she says. I can get away with wearing skirts and dresses as minis, but no high street trousers, jeans or shoes fit. I can get them online but they are much more expensive. Jessica, from Wrexham, North Wales, says men dont seem to mind that shes two inches taller than lanky soccer star Peter Crouch. Im single now but Ive had a few boyfriends and go on dates, she says.

She sleeps curled up on her side so is happy with a standard size bed but normal life does pose a few other problems.

On her first driving lesson she couldnt fit in the car, while at cinema and public transport seats are a challenge.

She has been bullied over her height too. Mum Lisa says: Some people shout unkind, but she takes it in her stride. Ive always drummed it in to her that being tall is something to be proud of.

Shes never stooped or hunched her shoulders and always walks tall.

Helen Porter, of the Tall Persons Club of Great Britain, said: At 6ft 9in this lady is exceptionally tall. I have checked our records and currently our tallest female member is 6ft 8in.

We certainly believe she must be the tallest teenage girl in Britain.